Here’s an item from Civil War News with an update on the collection of the recently-closed Lincoln Museum in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Those of you who have followed this story know that part of the material will go to the Indiana State Museum, and the archival stuff will go to the Allen County Public Library in Ft. Wayne.

Paul Manship's "Hoosier Youth" statue of Lincoln outside the Lincoln National Life offices in Ft. Wayne. From Wikimedia Commons

The State Museum “will create a permanent Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection Gallery and host a Lincoln exhibit at least once every three years, not counting traveling exhibits.” In other words, the collection’s highlights will still be on public view, despite the Lincoln Museum’s closure. That’s good news.

The Smithsonian and the ALPLM lobbied for the material, and I know it would’ve been in great hands at either of those institutions. Personally, though, I’m glad it’s staying in Indiana. One of my fears, when I heard about the Lincoln Museum’s closure, was that Indiana’s schoolkids and history buffs would lose access to this fantastic resource because it would end up in another part of the country.

Lincoln came of age in Indiana, the collection has been in that state for decades, and it’s appropriate that it stay there. The ideal scenario would’ve been for the Lincoln Museum to stay open and the collection to remain intact, but given the circumstances, I think this is the best possible outcome.

2 responses to “Lincoln Museum collection won’t be locked away”

We are also very happy that the Lincoln collection will stay in Indiana and feel very privileged to be its caretakers. Just so you know, the two Lincoln exhibits – With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition and With Charity for All: The Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection – both open on Feb. 12, 2010. Timed tickets will go on sale in November (exact date TBD). We hope to see you there!